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Friday, August 14, 2009

An Apple for the Teacher

It's been a long-time tradition for a student to take an apple to his/her teacher. Although the original origin of this tradition is not known, it used now to say "Thank You" to the teacher and is given from the student. At Tipton, we have a tradition that's been going on for nine years, but it's not just an apple the teacher's receive, but a whole entire breakfast! Yes, every year on the first day of class, the teachers and staff are treated to a "Back to School Breakfast".

The breakfast is provided by people who want to say "Thank You" to the teachers and staff of Tipton Public Schools. Some of the helpers are PTO members, while others are parents who want to be involved. And sometimes even people in the community contact me to let me know they want to help.

The "Back to School Breakfast" is delivered to three different buildings - elementary, middle school and the high school (we're really small, so only have one of each and they're all on the same campus.) The teachers and staff members are so appreciative any time they are treated in this way throughout the school year. And, of course, it's a fun way for all of us to say "Thank You" to the teachers and staff for teaching and caring for the students during the school year.

Other times the teachers and staff are served meals are at the two parent-teacher conferences, which are held in September and in February. Since the conferences are set up from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and also from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon on a Friday, the meals are brought on Friday evening. A special celebration is held each May during Teacher Appreciation Week. You can read about that event here.

Even though I wasn't ready for school to begin this year, after enrollment Monday night - and then seeing everyone when we took the kids to school this morning - it made me excited about the upcoming school year. It doesn't take too long to get back into the swing of things.

Another tradition on this first day of school is something our own family has done for the past nine years. On the evening of the first day, we take meals to our children's teachers. This year we have two in elementary, so meals were taken to their families. This year, another son is in middle school and our daughter has moved to the high school building. Because Tipton is such a small school, some of our children's teachers overlap into both of those buildings, and maybe even into the elementary. For the middle school and high school teacher's meals, we choose two or three teachers to take to each year. This year we took to three of them, making a total of five family meals delivered.

This "First Day of School Meal" always consists of the same menu: lasagna (usually beef, but sometimes I do chicken for some - if I know they've liked it in the past), green beans, garlic bread, Chocolate Delight(called Pudding Cake, too) or Butterfinger Cake. Because all four of our children have gone or are going thru elementary here and have had the same teachers, the teachers know the meal is coming if they have one of our children - and they are very thankful for it! Thankfully today we didn't have conflicts that would cause us to be rushed getting the meals delivered. It was also a blessing this year that most of them lived close. Only one lived out in the country about 10 miles, but it wasn't 30 minutes away as some in the past have been.

Maybe a whole meal is too much for you to think of doing, but you would like to do something simpler. It's easy in a small town to deliver meals because you know where everyone lives. This would be hard to accomplish in a larger city or metroplex area. My sister does something neat for her children's teachers. I believe it's on their birthday or maybe Valentine's Day (can't remember, but the day doesn't matter!). She makes them a meal served on a plate and delivers it to them at school. I remember her saying that she also takes a flower in a vase as a decoration during the teacher's meal.

Treating others by delivering them food, sending a special card. or a note of encouragement is a great way to serve others. Jesus said in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." We can serve others just as Jesus did. It doesn't have to be something big. It doesn't have to be anything expensive. It just needs to be done from our heart - a servant's heart!

Serving others in this way is just one more way we can "Shine Like Stars".

I am always looking for new ways to serve others...ideas that can be used by our elementary PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization), the 4-H club, or just ideas for my own family. Do you have any ideas to share? Let me know!